Ladder platform



April 7, 1959 J. D. BAlRD LADDER PLATFORM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;. 11, 1957 INVENTOR.

:rAMes D. EAuza v A-r-roRNEvs April 7, 1959" :J. D. BAIRD LADDER PLATFORM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct'. 11, 1957 Fig- INVENTOR. :rAMes p. Famn A DRNEYS United States Patent 6 LADDER PLATFORM James D. Baird, Turners Falls, Mass.

Application October 11, 1957, Serial No. 689,519

3 Claims. (Cl. 304-11) This invention relates to a platform mountable upon the upper end of a conventional ladder so as to provide a convenient, scaffold-like support for a workman.

Generally, one who is painting, performing carpentry work, or performing other duties upon a building structure at a substantial elevation, must stand upon the rungs of a ladder, assuming of course that the situation is not one in which a fullsized scaffold is warranted. Standing upon a rung of a ladder presents certain disadvantages. For example, there is always a hazard present, so that the workman may slip and fall. Further, there is a notable lack of maneuverability, in that the workman is seriously hampered in respect to the area of the adjacent building surface that he can reach easily for the purpose of performing the necessary work. Still further, the relatively narrow width of a ladder decreases to a very serious degree the stability of the ladder itself, since its only contact with the building is at the comparatively closely spaced upper extremities of the side rails of the ladder, so that the ladder tends in many instances to tilt to one side or the other and to fall to the ground.

In view of the above, it is proposed to provide a ladder attachment in the form of a platform, which will eliminate all the various difficulties and inconveniences noted above, and which will provide a safe place on which the workman may perform his duties.

Another object is to provide an attachment of the type described that will be comparatively inexpensive, considering the benefits to be obtained from the use thereof.

A further object is to incorporate in the construction an arrangement that will permit it to be swiftly attached to or detached from a conventional ladder.

Still another object is to associate with the platform a pair of removable guard rails which can be selectively employed whenever desired, but which can be detached with speed and ease.

Still another object is to provide a particularly effective, braced connection of the device to the ladder.

Yet another object is to provide an arrangement wherein the points of contact with the building wall are widely spaced apart in a horizontal direction, increasing to a considerable degree the stability of the ladder and of the platform.

Still another object is to so design the platform that the workman may either stand or sit thereupon, in a particularly convenient position for performing the necessary duties upon the surface of the building wall.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claims appended therto, and from the annexed drawing, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the upper end portion of a ladder with the platform connected thereto in position for use;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the device with portions of the guard rails being broken away, illustrating the device as it appears when viewed from the build i s wall;

ice

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the device in which the ladder is shown in transverse section, as seen from line 33 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view substantially on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the ladder platform constituting the present invention includes a frame generally designated 8, comprised of a U-shaped main or outer frame member formed from a single length of stout tubing or the like, and shaped to include a straight elongated bight portion 10 integral at its opposite ends with forwardly projecting, divergent side rails 12, on the front ends of which are fitted rubber feet 14 adapted to contact the vertical support surface S against which the device is to be engaged.

An inner frame member or cross brace 16 extends parallel to the bight portion 10, and at its opposite ends has forwardly bent, flattened extensions 18 extending in longitudinal contact with the intermediate portions of rails 12 and fixedly secured to said rails by rivets 20, bolts, or the like.

A flat support plate 22 on which the worker stands or sits is formed from a single piece of plywood in a preferred embodiment, and is shaped to completely overlie the open space bounded by bight portion 10, member 16 and rails 12. Plate 22 at its periphery is supported upon the rails, bight portion and brace 16, and the plate is fixedly secured in this position by J-bolts or clamps 24 embracing the outer end portions of the rails 12, and having shanks extending through openings of the plate 22, said shanks receiving nuts 26 bearing downwardly against plate 22.

In the inner or forward edge of plate 22 there are formed wide, deep, rectangular recesses or notches 28 aligned with corresponding recesses or notches 30 formed in the outer edge of the plate.

Connector brackets 32 are in the form of rectangular, open-ended housings, said housings having longitudinally extending, rectangular bores 34. A ladder 36 includes the usual side rails 38 and the bores 34 are proportioned to snugly receive the side rails. The housings can be shifted downwardly along the side rails until they engage the uppermost rung 40 of the ladder, but this is not essential in every instance, since the particular arrangement of. the weight of the platform relative to the ladder will cause the upper ends of the rails to bind in the bores 34.

Projecting forwardly from an integral with the side walls of the bores 34 are side flanges 42, the flanges 42 of each bracket having openings 43 receiving the bight portion 10 (Figures 1 and 4). The brackets may be individually slidably adjusted on portion 10. Inclined braces 44 extend forwardly from the lower portions of the respective connector brackets or housings, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, and at their rear ends are connected to cross pins 46 extending between the lower portions of the flanges 42 of each bracket. The braces 44 at their opposite ends have flattened, reversely folded portions 48, connected to the body parts of the braces by rivets 49 to provide transverse openings at the opposite ends of the respective brackets receiving the pins 46 and the brace member 16.

A pair of guard rails 50 of inverted U-shape are provided, adjacent the respective brackets, and said guard rails may be readily removed in the event it is not desired to use the same. Thus, at the front of the plate there are elongated, upwardly opening sleeves 52, welded to triangular brace plates 54 that are fixedly secured to the brace member 16. Shorter, upwardly opening sockets 56 are welded to the end portions of the bight portion 10, and the sockets and sleeves receive the ends of the guard rails.

In use, the device is fitted onto the upper end of the ladder, and will space the ladder outwardly from the building. The bores 34 are inclined out of the vertical to a slight degree, when the plate 22 is horizontally disposed (see Figures 1 and 4) and thus the ladder is tilted at substantially the same usual angle of inclination at which it would be disposed it directly engaged against the building. This causes the entire device to tend to swing forwardly to firmlyengage the building; at the rubber tips 14. These, being widely spaced apart, provide points of contact which impart a high'degree of stability to the device against undesired lateral deviation along the wall of the building.

In these circumstances, the device: provides a platform in front of the upper end of the ladder on which the workman can stand or sit. In the event: the workmandesires to be seated upon the platform, his legs may dangle in the space in front of the plate 22, said space being, however, not of so great anareaas toprevent the workman from reaching, with maximum ease, thesurface of the building wall.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles of operation and the means presently devised to carry out said principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor change in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: I

1. A platform attachment fora ladder including parallel side rails, comprising: a U-shaped frame including a bight portion integral at its opposite ends with forwardly projecting side portions; a support plate extending between and supported upon said side'portions; a pair of connector brackets comprising rectangular, open-ended housings adapted to receive the respective side rails of a ladder, said brackets including side flanges projecting forwardly from the respective side Walls of each housing, the side flanges of each bracket having openings and thebight portion of the frame extending through said openings; a cross brace extending between the side portions forwardly from the bight portions in underlying relation to the forward edge of the plate; and inclined braces each con nected at one end to the side flanges of one of said connector bracket housings and at their other ends to'the cross brace.

2. A platform attachment for a ladder including parallel side rails, comprising: a U-shaped frame including a bight portion integral at its opposite ends with forwardly projecting side portions; a support plate extending between and supported upon said side portions; a pair of connector brackets comprising rectangular, open-ended housings adapted to receive the respective side rails of a ladder, said brackets including side flanges projecting forwardly from the respective side walls of each housing, the side flanges of each bracket having openings and the bight portion of the frame extending through said openings; at cross brace extending between the side portions forwardly from the bight portion in underlying relation to the forward edge of the plate; and inclined braces each connected at one end to the side flanges of one of said connector bracket housings and at their other ends to the cross brace, the side flanges being freely slidable toward and away from each other on the bight portion, and said other ends of the inclined braces being freely slidable on said cross brace toward and away from each other so as to be adjustable conjointly with the brackets to selected, transversely spaced positions of adjustment for fitting of the brackets upon correspondingly transversely spaced side rails of a ladder.

3. A platform attachment for a ladder including parallel side rails, comprising: a U-shaped frame including a bight portion integral at its opposite ends with forwardly projecting side portions; a support plate extending between and supported upon said side portions; a pair of connector brackets comprising rectangular, open-ended housings adapted to receive the respective side rails of a ladder, said brackets including side flanges projecting forwardly from the respective side walls of each housing, the side flanges of each bracket having openings and the bight portion of the frame extending through said openings; a cross brace extending between the side portions forwardly from the bight portion in underlying relation to the forward edge of the plate; and inclined braces each connected at one end to the side flanges of one of said connector bracket housings and at their other ends to the cross brace, the side flanges being freely slidable toward and away from each other on the bight portion, and said other ends of the inclined braces being freely slidable on said cross brace toward and away from each other so as to be adjustable conjointly with the brackets to selected, transversely spaced positions of adjustment for fitting of the brackets upon correspondingly transversely spaced side rails of a ladder, said plate having deep recesses in its forward-edge and corresponding recesses in its rear edge,

the first named recesses exposing the cross brace and receiving said other ends of the inclined braces, and the second named recesses exposing the bight portion and receiving said side flanges, the first and second recesses being substantially wider than the inclined braces and housing respectively so as to permit said sliding adjustment of the inclined braces and housing along the cross brace and bight portion respectively.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,386,511 Krahl Aug. 2, 1921 1,553,279 Wirth Sept. 8, 1925 1,918,293 Seiler July 18, 1933 2,599,169 Finney June 3, 1952 2,732,264 Smith et a1. Jan. 24, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 268,709 Great Britain Apr. 7, 1927 

